Regrets of a Scythe
by OfficialWeedTesterGuy
Summary: A one-shot related to my current on-hiatus series End of a Scythe, Jack Riley delivers some justice long overdue to the Scythedom.


It had been a long time since Jack Riley has experienced a power outage. Living in the future had its benefits, he supposed. Such problems he had learned to live with in the 21st were gone. The Thunderhead was a good enough overseer of humanity, he thought. After all, it had fixed a _lot _of humanity's issues.

Many...no, _all_ of which had existed back in his time. And while he was glad that it'd been fixed, he still had trouble getting used to it.

The MidMerican Scythes had been visiting Endura to deal with the recent rise of the 'New Order' scythes, obsessed with muder and slaughter to an extent that in _his _time, they would've been put in a cell. But, these were different day, apparently, which disgusted him to no end.

But the energy in the High Blade's apartment had gone out, so he and a bunch of other Scythes were stuck in the fat man's apartment until management could fix it. So while the other Scythes bickered, he simply watched a nearby Great White stalk some fish. Guess there were some perks to having an undersea apartment. If it weren't for Nietzche's comment, he would've been somewhat quiet.

"We are justified for these reasons, Truman. Death in the old days was feared and respected. Why not do it now?"

"It most certainly was not." I interrupted

All eyes focused on the normally quiet junior Scythe. He had a reputation for telling stories and being somewhat of a dynamo in the scythedom, which was one of the many reasons MidMerica had been called here.

"Death was most certainly not _respected_, Fred. It was feared, yes. Embraced by some. But for the most part, it was...indifferent. People knew it was coming. Just not when."

"So the old man finally speaks. Hmmm."

I laugh. "Old man. Very funny. Do I need to remind you that I spent the vast majority of that frozen. In space."

Someone in the back snorted. I smirk for a quick second, before continuing.

"Back when things were different, there were a _lot _of ways to die. And I mean a lot. You see, death wasn't _regulated _and controlled like it is now. My twenty-first century self would call you a murderer, and I still do myself."

Xenocrates raised a finger. "Now hold on-"

I ignore the old man. He doesn't get it.

_Goddard _doesn't get it.

_Curie _doesn't get it.

None of them do.

Can I blame them?

_Really? _

Eh, fuck it.

"You see, old man, death wasn't regulated back in my day. There were so many ways to get yourself killed, it sounds almost ridiculous when I say it to you, but trust me, it happened back then. There were places where you could just walk outside and get shot, because crime. You had the disease; the flu , pneumonia, ; even the nasty ones, like HIV, AIDS, BSE, Alzheimer's, dementia...my grandma got the last one before she passed. It was...it wasn't something I'd like to repeat seeing."

"And _war. _Oh boy, that was something. Back then...man, we had so many ways to kill on the battlefield.

"And I am so very grateful for the Thunderhead for curing all of those. Really, I am. Humanity's put itself through a lot...but we've done worse, scythes. You see, _people _also killed people. Not just _scythes _killing people. You had you shootings, murders, stabbings, car accidents, manslaughter, hit-and-runs, mass shootings...oh _those _hit too close to home with you new order scythes and how you kill people." I briefly pause, emphasizing my words.

"That sounds...horrible. Brutish. How did you survive in such a perilous time?" Yamaguchi asked. She sounded legitimately scared by what I'd said. I sigh.

"You really want to know?" She nods, as do most of the other scythes. The new-orders in the room just watch aptly. If they want a show, I'll give it to them.

"I don't really know."

A collective gasp rose from the crowd, followed by multiple overlapping conversations.

"That's...preposterous! Are you comparing our selfless acts to these _brutes _of old times?" Goddard screeches.

"Yes. I am." His face is full of rage.

"That is _absolutely __**unacceptable**_-"

"Hey!"

They look at me.

"I'm not done yet." I say with a scowl.

"But-"

"For the love of whatever deity exists, shut your mouth Goddard or I will show the room what happens when someone gets napalm shoved down their throat. _Sit. __**Down.**_"

The scythe sits down with a blanched look on his face.

"Now...where was I? Oh right, _gleaning. _This so-called _ritual _you all perform to 'stabilize' the world's population. Now…" I rap my fingers on the glass desk, thinking. "Can anyone here tell me why we _haven't _gone to another planet for several hundred years? Hmm? Anyone?"

Truman, shaking, raises his hand. I point to him.

"Yes."

"W-well, you see, the horrible accidents-"

"Ah yes, the _accidents! _Oh, those horrible things I'm sure we've all seen the recordings. So...tragic. The people got scared. And I can't blame them. Such terrible things...yet...don't they just seem a _tad _suspicious to you? I mean, think about it. Two 'accidents' happening in such major areas...and the Thunderhead didn't even _think _about stopping it? Hmmm?"

They all just stare at me, eyes widened.

But I'm not stopping. I _can't _stop.

"Actually, I think you guys will like _this…_"

I type into my holo-watch, and project a series of files I've prepared.

"What is this?" Xenocrates asks.

"Just watch." I say. "Thanks, Citra and Rowan." I say under my breath. The video plays. After several minutes, Goddard's eyes widen.

"No! _No! _I demand this be stopped _immediately! _He tries to rush me, but is stopped by Xenocrates.

"Why the rush, Goddard?" He asks.

"I...it...it…" He reaches into his pocket, and pulls a knife on Xenocrates. In a flash, he disarms the fat man and drags him to a corner of the room, knife to his jugular.

"Stop the fucking video, _Jack_, or I'll chop his head off!" He yells, sweating.

"Goddard, what in the name of are you doing-"

"I'm saving the Scythedom, Xenocrates. This little _wannabe _junior scythe has information which could bring us all down. And I won't have it!"

I smirk with a shit-eating grin on my face. "You mean _this _info?"

On-screen is the recorded interview of Scythe Alighieri, talking about Goddard's little scheme.

"NO! _NO!_" He looks around the room, frightened, looking to the few scythes. "He lies! It's _fake!_"

The scythes look at each other, unsure of what to do next.

"Admit it, you bastard. And just so you know...faraday sends his regards. Say hi to the camera, Goddard. The world's watching, y'know."

The sudden realization comes to his eyes.

"You little fuck!" He tosses Xenocrates aside, lunging at me with his knife. I calmly whip out my custom-made Desert Eagle, and fire.

One fifty-caliber round penetrates his skin, turning his forehead into red mist. His body collapses to the floor. When he's regenerated, he's going to face justice.

_True_ justice.

"That's for the Moon and Mars, fucker. As well as all the people you and your little cult have killed."

Suddenly, Niezteche tackles me, aiming to stab me. He's stopped by Yamaguchi, who snaps his neck with a flick of her wrists. Enraged, the new-orders in the room attempt to attack, but are shut down by the Old Guard and neutral members.

"Thanks." I nod. She returns it.

"That shit was really true, huh?" I nod.

"Goddard's betrayed us all. He plans to sink Endura today. I had to stop him."

My phone rings in my pocket. It's Rowan.

"Jack. Is it done?"

"You know it."

"Citra and Curi's with me. Faraday's on his way to secure the vault. We've picked a lot of movement headed your way. It's the New Orders-they saw their leader get killed, and they're pissed."

"How many?" I turn to the door, the remaining scythes following me.

"A hundred. Maybe more."

"Okay." I grimly nod. "I'll be back." I hang up, and turn to the remaining scythes.

"Look...I know there's a lot to uncover, but I trusted you with the fact that you wouldn't go New Order. You guys are the best of the Midmerican scythedom, the epitome of any scythe in the world. But we've pissed off the hornet's nest here. And when w get off this damn island, we stop this New-Order bullshit once and for all."

The scythes gather around me, nodding and agreeing.

"There's a lot of angry scythes coming here. You know what you have to do."

As they readied their weapons, I took a breath and opened the door.

Today, we wouldn't be Scythes.

We would be Reapers.

And today, we were going to reap a whole lot of Scythes.


End file.
